An Introduction w/ Voala

Pavel : I am Pavel, I welcome you to studio Voala. I’m here with my wife Blanka. 10 years ago we founded a graphic studio together, under a different name but today we called our brand. That’s not just a graphic studio brand Voala. We were looking for element describing us well. And that’s the element of surprise ! « Voala » !

Blanka : Voala is not correct in French however it has a bit of it…

Pavel : It’s commonly used in Czech as well. Anyway we are from Prague, we live in Letná and it’s very beautiful here, there are a lot of parks… and originally we’re from Beskydy, we were raised in mountains. We have four kids together.

Camille : What is the meaning of your brand ?

Blenka : I think it’s important to teach people things which are simple can be beautiful. I like when it’s connectedto all aspects of life. Not just with things we create here. Also things I appreciate. I like when things are true, traditional and has a connection to something. It doesn’t matter if it’s furniture or food farmers. This days, it’s very easy to get everything this way and that’s great for us ! To connect with this things all the time. The craft we are putting into our notebooks has a great history in our family. Because my grand father was a printer. So when I was on highschool and university. I started to discover his work. I saw his photos from his young age in printing house where he used to work. And behind him were big stacks or papers and printing mechanism even with wooden part, in each space a different font. And I knew where my heart belonged. I know it follows thru my family line.

Pavel : I have a little thing, when I was young, I was discovering old times things. Like old box of matches, old pens and such. They had a beautifuldesign, originally from the 20s. There were made with excellenttypography. But they were made in completely different way than things we can usually get nowadays. This means in our production we are focusing on discovering and bringing back these things that were lost in the past. On the other side this things were made properly and they were very charming, from a design perspective, which we reflect in our work of designer artist, creators with visuals. This unfluenced me as a kid.

Camille : Do you have rituals ?

Blanka : The preparation of my workplace I have to start with completely clean table really one must even clean the windows. So, it’s completely cleaneverywhere, then I bring all concrete materials needed. I put bonetool, brush, glue on my table. Right after, I realise that I really need to walk for two hours. All over the atelier or I go outside I walk and walk… It’s a moment of first touch. Like it’s going to begin right now, Action ! so this is whats happening to me. It’s quite strong creative moment. Moment of resistance, it’s interesting.

Camille : When did your passion started ?

Blanka : During our childhood, it was simplywithin us and we were just lucky you know… to dive into this and while making a living.

Pavel : We are grateful for being able to be here with you. And have a possibility to make a living for us and others coworkers as authors or guides for our clients. When an agency wants something without being able to describe it, then we are able to fully specify while react psychologically based on their behavior. We can tell what is good for them. Something between heaven and earth, it works well. I recall one important moment when we were looking for what is describing us. We put the tagline next our brand name « graphic studio with love for paper« . And it was born basically by touching for example when I’m buying clothers. I am first interested in touching the material not that I am not attracted by beautiful shirt but the final decision is based on the touch. How it will correspond with my body, with myself… Then I take a closer look at visuals, the material of the thing and fusion with my body is very important to me. Same with paper, paper is a huge world. But in the real world where papers we get to our hands, made out of usual materials feels very limited. We like paper and we want to show our clients. There are other papers, that behave and feel different. It can happen that you take paper in your hands and get very emotional you have good feeling.

Blanka : The « paper sample book » looks like this (check the video) with original materials, fresh colors, structures… My 3 years old daughter, when she saw it at home, she loved it ! I couldn’t understand how a 3 years old child could sit with it and describe what she felt. She said, she felt sun and clouds but she also stopped at some of these pages to touch them and feel it. It’s something different with different structure and it’s a moment when we can get to know the person we are dealing with.